“So, they didn’t tear down an existing house?”
Sophie turned to look at him with an odd smile. “No. The island had been just a barrier for the bay. No one in town figured it was livable, since it gets the brunt of the storms.” She gestured toward the house. “The Piersons had the walls reinforced, apump installed if the house ever gets flooded and a lot more modifications I don’t understand. They spent a lot of money, most of it locally, to get the place built.”
“Sorry,” Ephraim said and followed her as she veered away from the house and toward the end of a gravel drive. “I heard the part about not being seen by them and made assumptions.”
“We’re not supposed to be seen because their kids are sleeping late after a long Christmas celebration.” Sophie said. “Evidently they brought the whole family up for the holidays and everyone stayed up late.”
He nodded, blasting himself for, once again, making assumptions about people.
They got to the spot where Sophie had found him and then knelt to examine the area. Minutes passed and he looked, and Sophie stood at his side, motionless. Finally, he stood and shook his head. “Nothing, you were right.”
She swallowed and then pointed to the right toward a small rise in the land. “On the other side of that dune is the larger dock. Do you want to check it out?”
He nodded and they walked slowly toward the dune, Ephraim bending over on occasion to examine a rock or sandy depression. Finally, when they topped the ridge, he sighed. “That theirs?” She nodded.
The boat wasn’t an ostentatious yacht, like he’d expected, but a very nice cruiser that would serve as transportation as well as a family party boat. It was moored, gently floated and bumping against a wide dock extending at least thirty feet from shore. When he and Sophie approached the beach line, a man appeared at the stern and yelled for them to identify themselves.
Sophie explained who she was and that she’d gotten an okay to be on the island. The man, dressed in khakis and a white shirt, nodded briefly then disappeared down into the boat. “Think they have someone living on the boat while they’re here?” she asked.Ephraim shrugged, “Either that or someone came out to check on it.”
They walked the edge of the water, finding nothing but an odd shell and some debris that had washed up from the storm. Sophie picked up trash and held it in her hand until he took it from her. “Always working,” he joked and she smiled. “No, just a local who wants to keep the beach clean.”
By the time they’d tossed the small amount of trash they’d found away and returned to her boat, Ephraim was frustrated. “I know you said we’d not find anything, but I was hoping something would be there, or I’d remember something by walking the island.”
She started the motor and then headed out to the bay. “It was worth a try.”
“Yeah, but it didn’t budge anything up here,” he tapped his head.
“Maybe not now. You never know. You might remember something later.”
They docked and drove to the big box store where he picked up his purchases and stowed them in the trunk. Sophie then headed for the grocery. “Is there anything in particular you want? I need some vegetables and fruit, after all the junk food we ate the last couple of days.”
He shrugged, “Maybe a couple of steaks. And I’m picking up the bill for the food. I’ve mooched off you for too long.”
She didn’t argue with him but headed to the parking lot. Once she’d parked, pulling through the spaces so she’d not have to back out, he noticed, they walked side by side to the store.
Fifteen minutes later and Sophie stared at the full cart Ephraim pushed. “I think we have enough food for a month.”
“Nah. Meat, potatoes, vegetables, cereal, milk, cheese. All the important food groups.” He laughed at her. “The only thingmissing is sugar, and you said you didn’t want anything sweet today.”
She nodded then eyed the cart. They’d planned on steak and baked potatoes with a salad for that evening. She’d gladly give up the grilling to Ephraim, she wasn’t a chef. Mentally tallying the ingredients they needed against those in the cart she snapped her fingers. “We need sour cream.”
Ephraim halted her as she started to turn. “I’ll get it, I remember seeing it near the end of the aisle.”
Sophie watched him sprint toward the dairy counter and thought about the man she’d met a few days ago. He’d been in pain for so many days; she hadn’t noticed the way he moved. His graceful movements, the way the muscles shifted under his thin shirt, reminded her of a big cat she’d seen running on television. She mentally shook herself with the reminder that she shouldn’t get involved with another dangerous man, even if this man wasn’t a danger to her.
She pushed the full buggy a little to get out of the way of a mother and her little boy who were arguing over the cereal they needed to buy. As they fussed about sugary bits and vitamins Sophie watched them, vaguely aware of an itching on the back of her neck. Then the man spoke in her ear. “You don’t want nothing to happen to the kid, you come with me.”
She froze, her skin prickling with ice. The smell of cigarettes hung on the man’s clothing and his breath was wet against her ear, but she felt cold all over. Something hard stuck into her side and she tried to shift away, only to bump into the woman.
The young mother barely glanced over her shoulder, “Sorry, he won’t make up his mind. Harry, either the granola or the shredded bits. Which one?”
“He’ll be the shredded bits if you don’t move. Now push the buggy over to the next aisle.” The voice hissed into Sophie’s ear.
Her stomach twisted and roiled with each word he uttered, and she looked at the little boy. He had his finger in his mouth and was muttering to himself, probably about the cereals. Sophie couldn’t think. How was she going to get out of this?
She leaned forward to push the buggy to the end of the aisle and toward the next one, her fear almost overwhelming her. Then she remembered, she would never be a victim again.
She pushed the buggy as if she were going to push it forward, then twisted it and aimed it at a display of snack cakes and gave it a shove. At the same time, she pushed back into her assailant and yelled Ephraim’s name at the top of her lungs.
